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Thom's Blog Is On the Move
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Until progressives start playing the long game, they will be but the Greek chorus to the unfolding generational usurpation of America’s democratic promise. Answer? Recognize that the tidal transnational corporate takeover of American politics via radical-right constitutional revisionism will only be turned by constitutional amendment--amendment which will require as many as decades of popular consciousness foundation building (think Luntz, think the twenty year "death tax" long game of the billionaires) Perhaps the answer is below. This constitutional amendment which be the gradual, inexorable undoing of the castle moot erected by the Roberts, Scalia gang surrounding corporate civil rights, and political corruption (excuse me, spending) as protected constitutional rights. It may be twenty or thirty years before we (briefly) have a Democratic supermajority necessary to forward it to the states. Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. …Or, keep reacting, thinking two years out, and grab some popcorn and keep watching the slow motion train wreck.
(What NEEDS TO BE) The next Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:
“Only a mortal human being shall have any constitutional right, privilege or immunity of a person, citizen, or part of the people.
Each citizen's voice being equal notwithstanding wealth, the Congress and several states shall regulate political gifts and spending to discourage corruption and the undue influence of wealth upon elected representatives.” [nextamendment.us]
I'll be a worm ridden corpse long before the rich aren't worshiped in this joke of a country.
I've learned that you can share the truth and facts with conservative Republicans and they won't listen, won't hear the facts, always dodge the truth and never, never, never will agree that Reagan's trickle down economics has been the biggest failure to this countries people. Their minds are closed. I say, " Look at the last 10 years with the giant Bush tax cuts. We gave 66% or $.66 cents of the Bush tax cuts to the top 2%. The top 2% are our large companies who are supposed to use profits and tax cuts to grow their businesses. And they did, but not here, in cheap labor countries. We borrowed from China for the Bush tax cuts, the taxpayers (mainly middle class) will pay for the tax cuts, Republicans gave 66% to the top 2% and they made China's economy better by creating jobs in China." As soon as you says this to a Conservative, it's like you never even said it. It's uncomprehensible to their minds. All they've learned from the likes of FOX notNEWS, Breitbart, Rush and Beck to defend this statement is, "Just look who was in charge during the last 2 years of the Bush presidency?" Ok, so here's the facts that they still can't understand, it's too mind numbing. Even though the House had majority in 2006-2008, it doesn't mean nothing. The Senate was still controlled by the Republicans and if they don't like the Dems House bills, the Sen. Republicans just vote NO. And even though Dems had a majority in the House and Senate in 2008-2010, it doesn't mean much when the Senate needs 61 votes to pass a House Bill. So unless both Houses have a super majority (esp in Sen. with over 61 members on one party), bills mean nothing.....w/o compromise. And all the compromises the Republicans want are to give, give, give more to coorporations and the top 2% who have done what? Nothing for us.
So it doesn't matter that the House Dems were in control. Another thing that really surprises me is, most Conservative/Republican states are of a poorer income. Median income under $40k. I don't understand why these Americans in the rural U.S. are so stupid. Sorry, I'm calling it like I see it. Maybe stupid isn't the correct word, shall I say, these Americans are "easily minipulated" into thinking the separation of church and state is going to help them, because they're in the "bible belt", but in fact, the church has been a huge wedge between helping the people and big coorporations helping themselves. The "Bible belt" people vote against politicians who are "pro-choice" and a few other issue's that hold back America in moving forward. And yes, God can move forward. If a politician came out and said, "I'm Pro-abortion!", I wouldn't vote for him, not many would. How many people say they are "pro-abortion"? None. Pro-choice isn't pro-abortion, it's only letting God work in our lives. Free-will should never be put in a law. It would be like a politician saying you had to beleive in God and that there should be a law to make people follow God or be punished. God doesn't want us to be forced into making moral decisions, He wants us to find Him for answers. To be man or woman enough to say, "I'm sorry", " I messed up", "Forgive me" from the heart means more than voting in a politician who is pro-choice. Laws can't confess away our sins. And I think so many of the rural American's really want to believe, that if they continue to put so-call bible believing politicians into office, these politicians will actually care about them and their needs. But these politicians only care about the money and the power. And maybe, just maybe, this is why these states are so poor. Because the politicians they elect grow businesses that out-source and could care less about the people in the state. They are poor and that's exactly how the Republicans want them....poor and willing to work for nothing. Cheap labor and uneducated.
Sometimes I wish the Dems would do unto the Republicans and filibuster everything over the next 2 years to shut down the Republicans, but by doing so, is turning your back on the people. And I don't think the Democratic members are below the Republicans in doing this. Time will tell. But I almost wish they would do away, forever!!!!, the 60 vote rule. There's 100 members in the Senate and the voting should 51 votes wins. It's a no brainer. This is why people vote for a majority, to get 51 votes, not 61.
American CEO's have been gaming the Corporate Board of Directors on compensation for a few decades now. The Coprorate Board of Directors hires a expert consutant to recommend executive compensation and more often than not those consultants are recommended by the "CEO's".
Don't recommend a big compensation package, don't get a job next year!
Oh, it's trickle down alright...
but what they don't want you to know is that what is trickling down is piss. They're pissing on us, that's for sure. And when someone at work put pictures of GW Bush in the Urinals...the caption was "Go ahead, they're pissing on you!", I oblige...too bad it's only symbolic!
Since the scanners don't see what may be hidden in a body cavity, and since this is the clearest case of invasion of privacy you can imagine in the face of decades long republican whining about degrading morals, and since it cant have a good psychological/emotional effect on the stupid sobs who have agreed to sit there and watch naked people who otherwise do not wish to be seen naked, and since only one percent of shipping containers coming in to this country continue to be searched, one has to deduce that these airport body scans are not about security but rather about training us to obey our masters even if they say to... You get my point. The next step should be for President Obama to stand up (clothed) and tell us why we are being thus trained. Security is important but this is a red flag. If "they" can get away with this they'll be in your home next. In my home state (NM) they're trying to ramrod low level flights of military attack planes over our homes. Just sayin'.
"Uncertainty" ------------------------
As I've said on my blog about a dozen times:
"Democrats have been completely clear for two years now that they want the Bush Tax Cut to expire for the Top 2%. Republicans blame 'uncertainty' for why the cuts aren't creating jobs NOW, but the only people creating 'uncertainty' are Republicans promising to extend those cuts when they take power."
If "uncertainty" is the reason corporations aren't creating jobs, maybe someone should tell Republicans to stop creating it?
Michael "BOHICA" Chertoff!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Michael-Chertoff-Bend-Ove-by-Thom-Hartmann-101124-86.html
The "redistrubute" canard.
Thom, I'm disappointed you fell for Mr. Gainor's "redistribute wealth" canard. Because it is THEM that want to "redisitribute wealth"... UP, from the poor to the rich.
I don't want to "redistribute the wealth down from the rich to the poor", I simply want the rich to pay their fair share. Pay for all the extra services they benefit from... paved rodes to their businesses, an educated workforce, etc.
The Post-Mortem!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-Progressivism-The-P-by-Allan-Goldstein-101123-319.html
My Friend Barack!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/My-Friend-Barack-by-Ralph-Nader-101122-710.html
Mr Gainor thinks businesses won't hire if they're uncertain? WTF, the whole nature of business is uncertainty, if you don't take risks you're most likely going to fail. Where the hell did he learn about running business?
N
The gate-rape and rape-a-scam issue is about union-busting and privateer-zing airport security at the expense/price of the mobility of America’s middle-class.
It is about destroying our feeling of security and mitigating our ability to seek a better life. Serfs should be born, live and die in a five mile radius . . . Just like in the 1400s CE.
Congrats on the move, Thom and Louise! We miss you in "ADD Land" but are thrilled to see you and hear you in the world of politics.
Hugs from Michigan!
Terry
Can anyone help me with this question? I AM HETEROSEXUAL!!! I am not homosexual!!! Is it possible for me to have a woman grope me instead of a man when I fly???
Average Americans and Slave Wages
Slave Wages
$5,000 per year $1 per hour 100 hour work week!
-1250 25% federal taxes
$3750
-375 7 and one half% employer does not pay into social security because the program is privatized!
____________________
$3,375 annual salary
Minimum Wages
$15,000 per year $7.50 per hour 40 hour work week!
-3,750 25% federal taxes
____________________
$11,250
-1,125 7 and one half% employers match employees’ SS payments!
____________________
$10,125 annual salary
____________________
Had minimum wages kept pace with cost of living
$38,000 $19 per hour 40 hour work week!
-9,500
____________________
$29,500
-2,850 7 and one half% employers match employees’ SS payments!
____________________
$26.650 annual salary
With slave wages and no matching SS payments the employer can save $33,000 in salary plus $2,850 in SS matching payments for a total of $35,850. I did not include state income taxes. Michigan State Income Tax is 4.35%. Here is the percentage a working American pays in taxes for Michigan – 25% federal taxes, 7 and one half% in SS, and 4.35% state taxes for a total of 36.85%.
I did not include property taxes and goods and services taxes. An average employee is paying at least 50% in taxes.
Average Americans are screwed again and again. Average Americans pay more in taxes and the American rich and American corporations pay less or nothing in taxes. Average American taxes are Socialism Taxes to subsidize the American rich and American corporations from paying little or no taxes. The American rich and American corporations are Socialists.
AS A SIDE NOTE, I am informed that in January, 2011 the fascist-Nazi Party will introduce a bill that will prohibit family vegetable gardens for homeowners and for city lots. More takeover from our Police State!!!
Profiling does not have to be about political correctness. Read this excerpt from the link on your newsletter site:
http://www.newsmax.com/WayneAllynRoot/tsa-screening-airports/2010/11/22/...
"...adopting the Israeli model of profiling.
No need to argue — it works to perfection.
Israel has the safest airports and the safest airline (El Al) in the world. There has never been a successful terrorist attack at an Israeli airport or airline.
Why?
They ask a series of rapid-fire questions of all passengers. There is no time to lie. If you try to lie, it is easy to detect inconsistencies in your story.
At that point you are pulled aside for a more detailed screening or body search. But everyone does not need to endure the health threat of major radiation, or the privacy violation of intrusive cavity searches"
Israel has highly trained interrogators, not highly paid gropers, who utilize the intelligence background data they have on each individual - how did you pay for your ticket? where is your luggage? - to identify suspect individuals. This type of protocol would take far less time and be far less invasive than the rigors air travelers are now subjected to. We have to stop this humiliating behavior! As others have said, if this is the way we now live, the terrorists have won!
She also said (paraphrasing) that the Constitution doesn't give you the right to fly! People say incredibly dopey things.
My friend who has a muslim name told me "I am always picked "randomly" for the special security searches where they open your bags and take your undies out one by one handling them... I know it's my name, but they denied it and swore up and down that it's random even though it happened to me every single time." It seems to be racial profiling to me and, yes, this must change.
As an alternative to all this, I heard somewhere that a bomb-proof room should be on site for everyone to walk through. Each person would enter the room and be locked inside for a couple minutes. A scanner would automatically detonate any explosives on that person. Automatic sprinklers would clean the mess which would drain into a floor grate. Then, "next!"
I was a great Reagan supporter in the 80's. Being just 25 when he took office I was educated fairly well but not "wise to the ways of the world". Seeing great opportunity around 1984 I took the leap and got my State licenses to sell Life Insurance and Broker Real Estate Loans. I also sold annuities for a large Atlanta firm. I was always honest and fair in my practices and kept my "day job" at a Military sponsored Ordnance Facility in California. When Reagan took office my wife and I lived in a small mobile home and drove a used car and a pickup. By '88 we owned (10% Cash Down) a new 4 bedroom home on a large lot and drove a new car and a new pickup truck, both bought with cash. We had NO debt except the mortgage and had even taken the trip to Maui after our second child was born. It would take me another FIFTEEN YEARS to realize the utter destruction that Reagan had brought to our Nation. Sure, I personnaly profitted greatly but that doesn't make it right! I was so filled with pride that I sometimes wonder if God can truly forgive me for being part of "the system" that destroyed our middle class, AND destroyed so many people's lives. After reading Thom's book, "Screwed" it fully hit me. I felt like Ebenezer Scrooge waking in the night...
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Like Gore Vidal says--"America has the stupidest citizens in the industrialized world." I just saw a woman last night on MSNBC who's mother was killed on 911. She's speaking up for the pat-downs and porno-scanners. C'mon, is this person a realistic source in this conversation? She came off as sounding like America must always live in fear because of 911. She tried to say she wasn't for fear, but I think she failed to convince anyone as such.
Healthcare facility should be accessible to all the people. Though healthcare has become political and public issue, but the problem about healthcare is still the same as before. My serious concern is about the people who are living under poverty. Similarly, low income people are also badly affected by expensive healthcare system.
International Health Insurance
I used to have to travel internationally and was disgusted to find that after having to go through the Nazi-TSA check points, taking away personal items, like fingernail files, that the airlines provided 7-8" long steel knives with the on-board meals (and this happened on every flight coming and going). To my way of thinking this made a farce out of the TSA. I reported it back then to a number of agencies and news sources but no one seemed to care about it. Yes, TSA and Homeland Security is nothing but a psy-ops program to keep us piqued and worried about some "Muslim terrorist threat" when the real terrorism comes from the US establishment. Now that I am retired (retired early partly because I got tired of the increasing crap that they were making us go through in the TSA check points....when they started to take people's laptops and force people to show the files in them) I said enough is enough. Now I watch people struggle with even more personal assaults using machines and nimble fingers. If you think cell phones might give you brain cancer...I am wondering what all this radiation will do to us down the road. Oh, but industry and our government, bought off by industry, don't care about that. We're in a war...right? Yeah, but it is a class war...rich against everyone else.